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An online journal about visual art, the urban landscape and design. Mary Louise Schumacher, the Journal Sentinel's art and architecture critic, leads the discussion and a community of writers contribute to the dialogue.

Lopsided wings at Milwaukee Art Museum surprise onlookers

Fanning up like a pair of wings against Lake Michigan, the signature brise soleil at the Milwaukee Art Museum is unlike anything on the planet. So when the majestic icon rises in a lopsided fashion, as it did Monday, it's bound to attract attention. »Read Full Blog Post

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So glad the Calatrava brise soleil is not broken, just routine maintenance. This is by far the most beautiful piece of artwork in North America! It places the Milwaukee lakefront as one of Calatrava's signature pieces to absolutely see. Hopefully it is back to it's amazing full beauty soon, and please Milwaukee keep this treasure in pristine condition always!

MLS - Your comment "...carbon fiber in this case would have in fact been heavier," is technically erroneous. It most likely should read, ""=...carbon fiber in this case would have insufficient tensile-bearing capacity."I presume that the tensile stresses are maximized atop each fin at/near the mid-section of its length where bending is most extreme. Similarly, compressive stresses at the bottom of the member would likely be maximized at the fin’s mid-section. These stresses govern design criteria for the fins.If true, I imagine that the section moduli (cross sectional shape of fin) with regards to material mechanics for both carbon fiber and steel factored into the decision making process. Other factors include material cost and material weight, as previously mentioned.MLS – please post a cross sectional depiction of the fins. This will help fin-ish the puzzle.

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Keep up with the art scene and trends in urban design with art and architecture critic Mary Louise Schumacher. Every week, you'll get the latest reviews, musings on architecture and her picks for what to do on the weekends.